Trainer Girl
by reminiscent-afterthought
Summary: [AU] About Ashley (fem!Ash)'s pokemon journey, dealing with her gender, her sexuality, and the cutthroat world she's coming into her womanhood in.
1. Meet and Greet

**A/N:** A gender-bend, with Ash turning into his female counterpart, Ashley. :D Except this Ashley doesn't have blond hair and an orange dress since that was a disguise and all… I'm also taking the opportunity to play with a few gender-roles that the manga picked up on but were abandoned by the anime. Slight other changes as well, not necessarily to accommodate the gender-bend part of the AU but to modify the world a little. After all, you don't want to be reading retellings of the episodes, do you? Well, apparently mundane little details are my specialty so I hope you won't be disappointed. :D

Also written for the Mega-Prompts Challenge on the PFC, writing prompts 026 – write an over 100,000 word multichapter. Because this is a retelling all the way from indigo, I'm sure it'll reach that length…eventually.

Enjoy, and don't forget to drop me a line and let me know what you think. :)

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**Trainer Girl  
Chapter 1 – Meet and Greet**

The dodrio's caws dragged Ashley from her dreams but she muffled them with her blanket and huddled there, eyes shut, until the alarm clock blared in her ears.

'Stupid alarm,' she muttered, reaching for it with her eyes still squeezed shut. She felt her pillow (not under her head where it'd been last night), the precious hat that had been on her lampshade, and a watch that had run out of battery years ago before finding her poke-ball shaped clock and hitting the snooze button. 'Why'd I put it so early anyway?'

If the sun wasn't blinding her through the crack in her curtains, then it was too early to wake up in her opinion. Even if her mother was bustling about downstairs, getting breakfast ready and doing some gardening, it was too early.

Except her plans didn't agree, nor did her mother. 'You're going to be late for Professor's Oak's Meet and Greet,' Delia yelled through the door.

Ashley groaned, then sat up hurriedly, almost knocking her lamp over. 'The meet and greet!' she cried. 'I totally forgot about that!'

'Well, hurry up,' her mother laughed, opening the door as Ashley tumbled out of bed and scrambled for some pants. She certainly didn't want to turn up at the professor's research lab in her nightie. 'I've made you some omelette; you better eat it fast and get going.'

Eating fast wasn't a problem for Ashley; it was getting ready that was. She thought she'd set out her clothes the night before: a nice comfortable t-shirt, some jeans and a light coat that had a clasp up the top but hung loose at her waist. Unfortunately they'd scattered about in the night, so by the time she'd tracked them all done, dug her hat out from the bed covers, let her mother get her hair reasonably neat and polish off her breakfast with a new record speed, the meet and greet had already started at the professor's laboratory.

She ran all the way anyway, hoping the professor wouldn't be too mad at her for being late – or worse, that she'd miss the chance of getting her first pokemon as a consequence. The road leading up to the lab was empty; it'd be crowded later in the day, when four – hopefully four, Ashley thought silently – trainers would return with their chosen partners.

But that involved her getting up there and meeting the potential pokemon, and when she made it up there the laboratory was quiet as well. She knocked with one fist, the other hand on her knees supporting her as she caught her breath. No-one came, and she grew worried and impatient and twisted the handle.

It opened, and she quickly dashed in, checking the main room, the seating room and the little kitchenette. No-one was there. But while she was dashing past one of the aide's offices, he informed her the professor and other three children were in the backyard.

'Of course,' she groaned to herself. 'Where better to get to know pokemon?'

She went outside, scanning the large expanse of field before spotting the group of four in a nearby pasture. 'Professor!' she yelled, wincing when an annoyed spearow squawked at her. 'Oh, whoops. Sorry spearow.'

The spearow jerked her head at her, as if to say "get on with it." And Ashley did; she ran over to the professor and the other kids, two openly staring and the other looking a little put out.

'And here I thought you'd changed your mind,' he said.

'Yeah, right,' Ashley said hotly. 'I just slept in – unlike staying up all night, _Gary_.'

And it looked like Gary had; he had dark bags under his eyes and an offended look on his face. But before he could reply, Professor Oak put a hand on his shoulder.

'Now, now,' he said to his grandson. 'Be polite.' Turning to Ashley, he added: 'This isn't a good start to your life as a trainer.'

He wasn't harsh, but his look was severe and his tone disappointed. Ashley felt properly scolded. 'Yes, sir.'

The professor nodded. 'Well, we've already released the three starter pokemon.' He pointed to the one Gary had been talking with. 'That one is a squirtle, the water turtle pokemon.'

Ashley tried to get a good look at it, but Gary was blocking her view.

'Next is Charmander.' It was currently standing by a tree, ignoring the brunet trying to get its attention.

'And, finally, Bulbasaur.' By the pond, sniffing at the only girl's hand.

Three pokemon and three trainers. 'But,' she began, 'Professor –'

He seemed to pre-empt her question. So did Gary, and he was faster to answer. 'You snooze, you lose,' he laughed.

Ashley glared at him, before turning to the Professor. 'I have to have a pokemon!' she cried. 'I can't wait until next year.'

She could, in theory, and perhaps should have waited until the following year. While she'd passed the license exam, it had been a near thing and she'd had to go through additional procedures to approval for her application because of it. The extra year of study would make her better prepared – but waiting a whole other year was something she didn't think she could handle. She didn't have the patience for waiting and studying from books, the discipline. Even worse was that the other kids her age wold be departing before her, getting ahead of her.

'I do have another pokemon,' Professor Oak affirmed, handing her a poke-ball. Ashley took it, feeling its heaviness, the way it seemed to spark in her hands. 'It isn't the best choice for a starter trainer, but you had taken a while to be approved by the Viridian Council.'

Ashley looked at the ball in her hands, then tightened her grip on it. It would probably be hers; the other pokemon were already paired up and even the charmander was coming around. The bulbasaur was already smitten, and squirtle – she wasn't about to crawl under Gary's arm for it. That's just what the guy would want from her.

But who cared? As long as she got a pokemon, and a great one she could be friends with and make strong. 'Go, poke-ball!' she screamed, tossing the ball into the air.

It landed a few feet away from her, releasing a small rodent in the patch of grass. The boy next to the charmander snickered openly; Gary did as well, though he covered his better, owing to the fact his grandfather was standing next to him.

The girl with the bulbasaur rolled her eyes at the both of them. 'Squirtle's cuter,' she sniffed. 'Besides, electricity is bad for the hair.'

Not that Ashley cared about her looks, and she didn't think Rosie did either; it was more for the benefit of the boys, Gary who was just rolling his eyes and Cole who was scoffing at the idea.

Professor Oak was looking at her as well. 'You can look at the other pokemon as well,' he suggested. 'Pick the pokemon that bonds beset with you.'

The rodent, yellow with brown stripes and looking cute – Ashley had to, thought grudgingly, admit. It yawned with a little "chaa" that made Gary and Cole snicker even more and Ashley to frown. She hoped the pokemon wasn't as bad a morning person as herself.

'This is a pikachu,' Professor Oak explained. 'An electric type. The red pouches on its cheeks store electricity.'

She might not have passed pokemon biology, but she'd done pretty decent on the identification segment of the exam. And an electric pokemon wasn't half bad; there were a lot of flying types near Pallet, and a pikachu was a definite advantage for them. Not to mention the fact that it had electricity in its cheeks: cool if she ever saw anything.

She squatted next to the drowsily blinking pokemon. 'Hi,' she said brightly. 'I'm Ash – ' She couldn't get her name out before the pikachu, annoyed at the intrusion, unleashed a thundershock.

Gary was a little too startled to start laughing straight away. Cole did, being a safe distance with the charmander now regarding him coolly. Rosie sprouted a slightly worried expression, as did the professor.

Ashley was just incensed. 'Look here,' she snapped, rolling on to her feet and matching the pikachu's glare with one of her own. 'You and I are going to get along and that's final.'

'Chu,' the pikachu sniffed, turning away.

'It's been giving us a little problem with its attitude,' the professor said apologetically. 'And it's fairly recently caught, so we haven't made a lot of progress with it. Unfortunately, every other pokemon we have on hand either belongs to other trainers or is over or under levelled.'

And the other three were all paired up, no matter the meet and greet was supposed to be all of them getting to know all the pokemon and then making their decision. She still hadn't seen a full view of squirtle.

Pikachu said nothing, simply rolling on the grass and falling asleep. Ashley took a deep breath, staring at Gary who looked torn between teasing and concern, and Cole who was just scoffing at the scene. She didn't bother with Rosie; Rosie never insulted or teased her or fought with her like the boys did. She generally stayed away from the three of them – unlike Ashley who was stubborn and tomboyish enough to follow them.

And stubborn enough to take on a difficult Pikachu. A pikachu who rolled over and went back to sleep even though the alarm, of a sort, had already gone. A pikachu who didn't preen at the word cute and had a good strong attack from the get-go.

'Professor,' she said, quiet but sure and firm. 'I'm taking this pikachu.'

A sharp intake from one of the boys; apparently they'd just been getting acquainted and no-body had officially selected yet. _Well, too bad_, she thought. _This pikachu and I are going to be a team if it kills us._ 'Isn't that right?' she said allowed.

The pikachu rolled onto its back. Apparently, it was just as stubborn as her.

The professor looked worried. 'It's dangerous to go out without a pokemon who won't regard you,' he said. 'The pokemon raised here at the lab especially for beginners are an exception, but most pokemon don't take too kindly to inexperienced trainers.'

In other words, the pikachu didn't think much of her. No matter; she was stubborn, strong-willed. She'd make it work. Because she wanted that pikachu. Wanted it to prove Gary and Cole (and even, to an extent, Rosie) wrong. Wanted it because of how like her it had looked. Wanted it so that thundershock could send more than just a zap of electricity through her veins.

'Hey, if you come back to Pallet in a body bag, I'll be sure to explain this to your Mum.' Garry shrugged, picking up the squirtle's poke-ball and returning it. 'My choice, Gramps.'

The Professor signed and noted both of their choices down. The others returned their choices as well; the meet and greet hadn't been quite what it was supposed to, but they'd all found a partner they connected with to some level.

'Last thing,' the professor said, leading them into the main room. 'Your poke-dex.'

Ashley looked at hers: red and fitting snuggly into her palm. She noticed Gary's was blue and a little smaller in his hand; her palm was smaller than his, and she was a little shorter as well, two things Gary never stopped teasing her about. But he didn't take the opportunity; he was too in awe of the new gadget, testing out its functions.

'Now.' And the professor sounded so serious they all looked at him. 'Understand this is not a game. From the moment you step outside Pallet town, you have only your pokemon and yourself. The wild pokemon here aren't particularly strong, something we are fortunate about. However, you will see strong trainers on the road, and stronger pokemon as you travel away from Pallet. For now, stay away from the water and the forest, and challenge only the wild Pokemon. Many a beginner's pokemon have been known to die in a battle with a more experienced one, and I don't want to here another story about a child's body being dragged out of that forest.'

Rosie gulped, looking frightened. Cole just scoffed. Gary mounted a serious expression and Ashley took care to note that as well. The forest would be a test of sorts; it always was, the thing that separated the amateurs from Pallet town to the ones ready to take on the Gym Circuit.

'Those rarely happen,' Cole yawned. 'And those kids are fools anyway. They wouldn't let pre-teens out otherwise.'

The professor glared. 'Rare, but they do happen,' he said, 'because young trainers who pass the exams with flying colours get too cocky. Be sure your pokemon will obey your commands without hesitation before you engage another trainer or enter that forest. And don't forget that pokemon are not at the same strength as humans.'

'Got it, Gramps,' Gary said, the only person to reply. He had a thoughtful look on his face. Ashley wondered if he was a little frightened. Truthfully, she was more on Cole's side; no-one powerful ever came near Pallet town or they'd meet them, playing about in the ranch. How could someone pass through Pallet and not meet the infamous Professor Oak after all. As for the forest – she'd heard the stories, but she'd also heard that it was just the tip of the iceberg of the bigger world. She was sure she could make pikachu strong enough for that ordeal. She was sure she'd become a strong pokemon trainer and defeat the circuit, then the league. Her mother agreed; agreed she'd become a strong trainer – though there were a few concerns she'd raised, for Ashley to wave off.

And the Council must have thought the same, to give her approval despite having the grounds to delay it.

'All right.' The Professor sighed. 'On your way then. Good luck to each of you.'

It might have been on some of their tongues, but none of the four said they didn't need the luck.


	2. Mother and a Shock

**A/N:** Took longer than it should have to write this chapter, but now it's done. Hopefully updates will be more frequent when the story starts shaping itself. *fingers crossed*

Enjoy, and don't forget to drop me a line and let me know what you think. :)

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**Trainer Girl  
Chapter 2 – Mother and a Shock**

'A pikachu?' Delia repeated, concerned. But Ashley was humming over the water and seemed to be in good spirits. Though the pikachu was asleep in her garden and was responsible for ruining a perfectly good pair of pyjamas.

Though it wasn't anything Delia couldn't fix, she wondered as to the wisdom of taking on a pokemon that would attack their trainer so. If it continued to do that – well, even low currents of electricity would cause damage eventually, and if it got stronger –

But Ashley didn't seem overly concerned about that now. She had been rather annoyed when she'd had to bodily carry the little mouse with rubber gloves she'd borrowed from one of Professor Oak's aides to her doorstep, but a relaxing shower did wonders for temper.

Delia knew that as well. That was why she'd sent her daughter into the bathroom. Though it did make a conversation a little difficult. Especially with Ashley's tendency to hum tunelessly while she did, shutting out the sounds around her.

But when the shower turned off and the wet towel fell to the floor with a soft thump, Delia knew her daughter was game to listen.

'A pikachu?' she repeated.

'He's so stubborn.' But now it sounded almost affectionate. 'But he's got a strong thunder shock attack, don't you think?'

'He's certainly dismantled some of the threads in your pyjamas,' Delia admitted. 'Though if he keeps using his attacks on you instead of rocks and wild pokemon…'

'He won't.' Ashley opened the door, dressed in her going-out outfit. 'How do I look?'

'Very practical.' Because she was in tracksuit pants, a t-shirt and a zip-up hood. No skirts for her on the road…though she rarely wore skirts at all, and the occasional dress. Delia didn't mind. She hand-made her daughter's clothes after all – except the more outrageous requests like Charizard wings she didn't approve of.

Pants were practical. Charizard wings would only be a nuisance. 'Did you pack those rubber gloves for the laundary?'

Ashley grimaced. 'I guess I'll be needing them earlier than that.' She started to fold up her pyjamas, but her mother snatched them out of her hands.

'I'll fix those. I've put a new pair in your bag already.'

'Thanks Mum,' Ashley said gratefully.

Delia wondered what her reaction would be like when she saw what sort of sleep clothes they were. But she couldn't resist a little prank on her daughter.

'And I've put a little extra money in as well. Just in case you get stuck outside the forest for longer than you'd like.'

That was a subtle way of suggesting that Pikachu would take longer to tame than the other starters.

'I guess I should have gotten up earlier.' Ashley rubbed her hair with her towel. 'But I think I would have taken this Pikachu anyway. He's got more personality than the other three.'

Delia shook her head and chuckled. Trust her daughter to pick her starter pokemon based on _personality_.

**.**

The four new trainers set out that afternoon. Pikachu had flat out refused the poke-ball, to the extent that Ashley had thrown it multiple times and the pikachu had hit it back with its tail, until the ball hit a table corner and broke. So now Ash had her rubber gloves on and was carrying Pikachu with her arms stuck in front of her like a board. She didn't want him spoiling her clothes again. Her mother couldn't exactly come running with her needle and thread.

They went their separate ways the moment they reached the fork in the road, and Ashley was glad. Though it was something they'd agreed on, them following through on it meant no-one would be watching the embarrassing events that were sure to unfold. Because before them was the stretch of grassland where wild pokemon began to appear, and already she could see the signs of sand attacks from the pidgey.

Pikachu was going to get that scowl off his face before she stepped foot there. Or at least wait until the morning if that failed.

'It's just you and me now.'

Pikachu turned his head as well as he could in her tight grip. Ashley scowled, then plopped him none too gently on a rock, before sitting on another. 'I guess you're not hungry,' she said airily.

They'd had lunch before leaving her home, but the sun was low in the sky and it was a good time for an afternoon snack. Ashley munched noisily on crackers her mother had packed for her, making sure to only eat a fifth of them. Her mother said it had taken her father four days to reach the nearest city, and looking at her stubborn pokemon, she might as well allow for an extra day.

Pikachu looked sidelong at her, then turned her head away again. Ashley sighed and finished her crackers. 'We can sit here all night,' she pointed out, going through her bag. If they were going to be there all night, she'd better get camp ready. And do a little study.

Study first, she decided. Because the poke-dex were high tech and cool and maybe pikachu would be interested to see what moves it could learn by levelling up. 'Why do you have five fingers on each hand but only three toes?'

'Chu,' the pikachu scoffed, as though it were a silly question or one with an easy answer. Ashley couldn't tell which, and she didn't care either. She'd been talking to herself – though a response meant she was making progress. Maybe? Hopefully?

She shook her head and continued flicking through the pages. 'Do you like apples? Berries? Bananas?'

No reply. Ashley made a mental note to ask when the pikachu was more amiable, before pressing on.

'You get struck by lightning? I don't know whether that's cool or dangerous… Hey, don't do that.'

Pikachu had stuck his tail up: just what the Poke-dex said invited his species to be shocked by lightning. Luckily, the sky was glowing orange and red and blue, but otherwise clear.

And pikachu wasn't listening to her anyway. 'Fine. Those sacs of yours can't hold all the electricity in the world, you know.'

She read on. 'Hmm, speed stats are the highest, then attack and special attacks – one good hit will knock you out cold.' She laughed at that. Her pikachu had spunk; she had to give him that. Imagining him knocked out with a single punch was a little hard to believe.

Pikachu's cheeks seared with electricity, and Ashley hurriedly backed away. 'I was complimenting you,' she snapped.

Pikachu turned its head. Ashley did to, sitting down on a further rock. 'Fine,' she said, returning to her original task. 'Go be a grouch by yourself.'

_Weak to ground_, she continued reading. _Resistant to flying, electric and steel attacks._ 'Why steel I wonder?' she said aloud, though not loud enough to be overheard by her stubborn partner. She didn't want to risk a shocking. _Current attacks: thunder shock and tail whip. Attacks on levelling up: growl at level five – _'Almost there too.' That was infuriating. _Play Nice at level seven_ – She broke into laughter. 'Play Nice,' she chortled. 'Can you seriously do that?'

To his credit, the pikachu didn't try and shock her. Though that might have had more to do with the fact that his stomach grumbled quite loudly at the same time. Ashley turned around. Pikachu blushed a little and curled up, glaring at her.

'Hungry?' Ashley asked sympathetically, pulling out the Pokemon food she'd been given by another of Professor Oak's aides. Just enough to get to Viridian City…hopefully. From there she'd be able to order or make her own food. Order probably. She wasn't exactly a great cook.

When Pikachu didn't come towards the food, she tossed a few pallets on the ground: sort of in between, but still a little closer to her. Pikachu eyed them, then slowly crept forward, then when Ashley's back was turned and she was pulling her lighter and a lamp out, he swept the pallets closer to him with his tail and nibbled tentatively on one.

Ashley rolled her eyes at the display and shuffled through the rest of her bag instead. She and her mother had discussed the merits of a tent, and finally they'd settled on an easily packable one in case the weather turned foul or she had company of the opposite gender. She wondered if that included a certain male rodent, then decided not to risk it until the pikachu was feeling more amiable. The poles were collapsible metal ones.

So was the little stand to hang a pot on, but at least she wouldn't be trapped inside it. 'I'm going to get water and wood,' she said, looking up at her partner – who turned his head again. 'If I find you've run off, I'm tying you up with mum's fishing line.'

She really hoped he wouldn't. There was little chance she'd be able to chase it down if it did. Still, she couldn't in good conscience leave him tied up while she left – even if she was using it as a threat.

'Won't you please tell me what I have to do to get us to get along?'

'Pika Chu,' the Pikachu replied.

Ashley hoped that meant he would stay put. Maybe he'd even eat the food she'd left for him. After all, there weren't too many berries on trees near them. The nearest ones were over the field where the spearow roosted.

Then again, pikachu probably wouldn't have any trouble shocking them. Still, maybe pikachu was afraid of the dark or something like that. Or just wanted to see how ridiculous she'd look struggling with the water and wood. She didn't care about the reason, just so long as he stayed put.

The sun was starting to set as she wandered through the trees, collecting branches scattered about the floor on her way to the river they used to play in when they were kids. She and Gary in particular, growing up next door to each other and both their single guardians – her mother, his grandfather – so busy with their work. Gary had been fun back then. She wasn't quite sure what had changed: them just growing older, the prospect of becoming pokemon trainers, or the newer kids that came into town.

Though Gary had also been a bit annoying by opening doors for her like she wasn't capable of opening them herself, or carrying things as though she'd break her own arms or back carrying the same. One thing was for sure: he wouldn't have let her out in the almost dark with a kerosene lamp looking for firewood and water.

Which might have been a benefit, considering the pikachu she'd left behind.

'Finally,' she sighed, catching sight of the stream. She juggled the things in her arms: not quite enough firewood but a good number nonetheless, and then there was the lamp and the pot she needed to collect the water in. 'Maybe I should have made two trips,' she mused, realising the pot would be a lot heavier on the way back and she couldn't stuff the twigs into it. But by then it would be even darker, and that would be more chances for pikachu to get away from her.

'I should have just tied him up,' she grumbled, dumping the twigs and leaning down. 'Would have given me some piece of mind.'

She'd manage somehow, she decided. She scooped up some water first, enough to cook the ramen and have some drinking water left over. She'd have to wash the dishes too, otherwise she'd attract rattata through the night – and that wouldn't be a pleasant way to wake up at all, by crawling rattata…

Once she had the water, she reconsidered. Pot in one hand, lamp in the other. Wood… 'The hood!' she cried triumphantly. And with that little idea, she piled all the twigs she'd collected into her hood and headed back to camp.

She had a little trouble finding it, because her backpack wasn't on the rock she'd left it on and neither was her pikachu. She worried if she'd lost her way in the night, before finally stumbling over the open pack.

And it took her far less time to realise _why_ it was open. 'That rat ate all the food!' she cried, her voice echoing in the empty plain. She winced at the volume right after; hopefully that wouldn't attract any wild pokemon. Without pikachu around, she was easy prey – even though the wild pokemon on the fields just outside Pallet Town were usually quite docile, being near an inhabited population and all.

She shivered a little. She was feeling very vulnerable now – especially since she _still_ couldn't see the pikachu. She could hardly believe it. 'Okay.' She took a deep, calming breath. 'He's just using the bushes. Or something. No doubt after pigging out like that.' There was a slightly threatening undertone, but it more hid a slight fear than anything else.

But pikachu didn't show up. Which meant Ashley would either have to look for him in the dark or spend the night outside without an ounce of protection and search in the morning. Or ditch the prospect of having that mouse obey her entirely – who knew; he might be happier in the wild – and either catch another pokemon somehow or head back to Pallet Town with her tail between her legs –

There was no way in hell she was doing that last option. And she didn't like the waiting or giving up ideas either. 'Okay.' She took another deep breath and picked up the washing line she'd threatened pikachu with before and the insulating gloves, just in case she needed to drag him kicking and screaming again. And the kerosene lamp of course. She wasn't a Hoothoot after all. She couldn't see in the dark.

Though she didn't think pikachu could see in the dark either, and that made her a little worried amongst her irritation.


	3. Searching for Pikachu

**A/N:** This chapter was planned out while writing the last one, but still came out not quite how I pictured it. Night isn't the greatest time for character development unfortunately. Oh well, plenty of opportunities later on for everyone to show their true colours.

Enjoy, and don't forget to drop me a line and let me know what you think. :)

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**Trainer Girl  
Chapter 3 – Searching for Pikachu**

Ashley stumbled in the dark.

Unfortunately, she'd gotten far away from her bag before she realised she hadn't brought a light with her. The noises of the night seemed to suddenly get louder upon that realisation. The wind howled. The trees shook. Hoothoot on the branches called to each other. Other pokemon she couldn't identify scraped and chattered in the dark.

She swallowed a gulp and moved on. If she tried to go back now she would only get more lost. And there was a little light, from the stars in the sky. That would have to be enough.

'Pikachu?' she called, her voice echoing on the plains.

A few Hoothoot flew in fright, their squawks causing her to jump and stumble once more.

'Silly owls,' she muttered,' rubbing her arms and pressing on. Hoothoot looked perfectly gentle in the pictures, but flying all at once like that had given her a bit of a shock. The trees looked no different now. Either there were still hoothoot there or the pidgey slept there too or the dark was just that indiscriminate, she didn't really know.

Then there was a sudden flash up ahead, and she heard louder squawks, angry and definitely not from the hoothoot, go towards the sound. She steeled herself, then went as well. A flash like that – it could only be Pikachu. There were no wild electrical pokemon to be found in the area – or there shouldn't be.

And it _was_ Pikachu, sprawled in a ditch and covered in mud but still firing consecutive thunder shocks against the birds that dove for it.

_Pidgey?_ Ashley wondered, squinting in the unstable light. _No, they're too colourful. Spearow then._

That was bad. Spearow were notorious for their tempers, and by the looks of things, Pikachu had really pissed them off.

'Hey,' she yelled, her voice echoing all around and startling the attacking flock. 'Go pick on someone your own size!'

It slipped her mind that Pikachu was about their size, and she herself was quite a bit bigger than them. Not that it mattered, when they turned towards her. She couldn't exactly fight a bunch of spearow bare-handed.

She could lead them away from Pikachu though, and that coupled with her brain screaming "run" to her, and she obeyed, stumbling away in the dark with a yell at Pikachu that hopefully the yellow mouse would obey. She could think afterwards how he should have just listened to her and stayed put, or how hurt it might be in that ditch. So long as the spearow left it alone –

A much larger form than those spearow suddenly swooped low and Ashley jumped back, tumbled, and fell. The flock of spearow were upon her in seconds, and she screamed in a mix of pain and fury as she swiped at them.

She definitely should have brought that lantern, she found herself thinking, as she scrambled between feathers and dirt. She pulled out a rock and threw blindly. It hit one of the spearow, by the sounds of it. She found a stick. She managed to hit a few more before a particularly sharp jab to the wrist made her drop it.

And then there was a bright light and searing flames and the spearow fled, leaving only a charmander behind. Ashley glared from the ground. The charmander looked smug as it stamped out the bits of ember and ash left behind.

'Couldn't last a day.'

Ashley's head snapped towards the voice. 'Cole,' she said – though it came out more like a cough as she struggled to sit up. He offered a hand. She ignored it, managing quite well herself. He shrugged.

'I could hear you screaming,' he explained. 'Could have woken the dead, you know.'

'You mean I scared you out of your wits,' Ashley countered, looking at her hands in the charmander's tail flame. There were dots of blood everywhere, and the latest one was gushing rather badly.

'Here.' That was Rosie's voice, and soon enough, the girl herself came in to view with a soaked bandage. 'I've got it.'

Ashley gratefully let her wrap it up. That spurting had taken her quite by surprise.

'It's laced with some of Bulba's power as well,' Rosie explained. 'It'll help numb the pain.'

'It doesn't hurt,' Ashley said, 'but thanks.' Since it was a bit of a white lie, and the small stings would only get worse.

'Now let's take a look at the rest of you.'

That took a bit of struggling. Cole and his charmander turned around immediately, and Ashley wasn't the sort to cling to her clothes, but she insisted she was fine and tried to walk off. She even managed for a bit, but wavered and had to sit back down again.

When she tried to stand up after that, Rosie sighed and ordered Bulba to use vine whip.

'There should be a law against using attacks on humans,' Ashley muttered, forced down once more. 'I need to go get that stupid rat and give it the scolding of its life.'

'Your pikachu?' Rosie asked. 'Did you lose it?'

Ashley snorted. 'It ran away.'

'Good riddance.' Cole didn't seem too concerned. 'He doesn't belong on the road, and neither do you.' Safe to turn around again, he surveyed her with some disdain. 'Did you make _any_ progress?'

'No,' Ashley had to confess.

'Don't be so harsh,' Rosie implored. 'It sounds horrible to have your pokemon run out on you.' She pulled Bulba closer, and the grass type nuzzled her affectionately. 'You won't do that, will you Bulba?'

'Saur,' Bulba comforted. 'Saur. Bulba saur.'

'You two are getting along so well.' Ashley was a little jealous, watching the pair. 'Pikachu and I – well, we really did make zero progress. And then I went to find some wood and water and it ate all the food and ran off…'

She felt her eyes burning, but no tears. Good; she didn't need those. Bulba's vines loosened as Rosie finished the last of the bandages and Ashley tried to stand up again. This time her vision wavered only a tad, and she managed a few steps forward. 'Pikachu!' she yelled. 'Where are you?'

'You idiot,' Cole hissed. 'Are you trying to bring all the wildlife on us?'

But his prediction of doom amounted to nothing, and Ashley was answered by a weak flicker of electricity some distance ahead. 'There!'

She ran after it, easily at first but stumbling once she outstripped the charmander and his light. A squawk came from the direction of the electricity, and Ashley ran even faster. It was a loud, angry squawk. Louder than the spearow.

_Fearow,_ she thought, not even noticing how her feet stumbled as she ran. _Damn it…_

Her feet slid out from under her and she squeezed her eyes shut and rolled in twigs and mud and grass until she came to stop with a groan.

'Row!'

She opened her eyes, staring at the fearow's own beady ones as Pikachu sparked weakly beside her.

'You had to run away,' Ashley muttered at it. 'You're not match for it; let's get out of here.'

Pikachu, to his credit, obeyed, jumping into her arms when she offered them while she got on to her own feet. The fearow squawked again, and Ashley scrambled back the way she came.

The ditch had been too large for Pikachu to climb out of, but not for a human, even one as young as Ashley. And never had she been gladder she was wearing pants. She was sure her legs would be worse than her arms if she'd worn a dress or a skirt or shorts instead. And her arms were stinging badly enough in the wind air, scratched by all those twigs.

Not enough to stop her though. She got out of the ditch and took off the way she'd come.

The fearow followed. A glimmer appeared in the distance, rapidly getting stronger. Charmander's tail flame – and it was quickly followed by an ember attack and a vine whip.

Neither did much more than anger the fearow. Cole stood beside his charmander. Rosie stood somewhat behind her bulbasaur. She didn't want to battle. He did.

Ashley might have wanted to battle if she wasn't tired and sore and worried. Frustrated should probably have been in there too, she thought in retrospect. But it was too easy to forget her frustration when seeing the more compliant, scratched up and whimpering Pikachu in her arms.

She'd let him have it afterwards though. Once they got away from the fearow and all.

But the fearow didn't seem keen in letting them go. It launched itself into the air and swooped, knocking Bulba flat on its back. Rosie shrieked. Cole muttered something and sent the charmander in for a scratch attack.

It got a few feathers, but that didn't seem to accomplish anything long term.

'What did Professor Oak say about fearows?' Cole muttered to himself, watching his starter dodge and strike to little avail. Rosie returned her bulbasaur after it struggled and failed to stand; it had taken too hard a hit, made even more affective by the disadvantage it posed. 'They like to swoop on their prey and have incredible stamina…' He sighed. 'Too bad Charmander doesn't know smoke screen yet.'

Charmander was about to kneel over. And the fearow looked almost fresh. In Ashley's arms, Pikachu cracked open an eye and squirmed.

'Where are you going now?' Ashley snapped. 'As much as you can't tolerate me, at least do until I can be sure you won't get eaten by a flock of angry birds.'

'Chuu,' Pikachu mumbled. Maye it was ashamed. Ashley couldn't really tell. 'Cha?'

'Though we could get eaten by fearow anyway,' Ashley amended.

'Don't say that.' Rosie glared at her through the dark.

'Well, do you have any other pokemon that can fight?'

'No…'

Ashley's arms tightened around Pikachu. It wasn't that she wasn't scared. She _was_ scared. And she'd run with a whole squadron of spearow after her and she was low on adrenaline too. Charmander chose that moment to collapse. Cole squatted next to it, pushing them both lower when the fearow swooped overhead.

The large beady eyes turned on the girls. 'What?' Ashley snapped at it. 'Think you can get me?'

'Don't antagonise it,' Rosie whimpered, backing away.

Ashley glared. When she was scared, she fought. That was the sort of person she was. She set Pikachu down. He rolled on to his belly and stared at her. Ashley found a rock. 'I can hit you with this,' she boated, tossing it from hand to hand.

The pidgey near Pallet town were docile. Throw a bit of dirt at them and they'd flee. This fearow was nothing like that. Nothing like what they'd expected to meet on their first night out. Nothing like they _should_ have met on their first night out, still so close to Pallet town.

But what else was there to do? The fearow didn't back away. Ashley threw the rock and it landed square on its head before bouncing off. The fearow puffed its chest out in fury, stretching its wings and raking its claws on the ground.

It wasn't going to fly. It was going to charge. Take down…or just blinded rage. It didn't matter.

It charged. Ashley was knocked off her feet in a flurry of scratches and pecks that hurt ten times more than those spearow had. But it was only for a moment, like how they'd play rough back in Pallet town. She'd hide in a bundle of hay and Gary would poke her out with a stick. Like that, except there was no hay to crawl out of and it wasn't Gary but a fearow intent on clawing her brains out. Luckily the claws weren't that strong. Just tearing skin, though that hurt enough.

She sat up. Pikachu had gotten up and latched itself on the fearow's back and the bird, feeling the electricity, had stumbled back.

'Chuu!' Pikachu screamed, putting all of its energy into that one shock.

The fearow was swallowed by yellow light, staggered, and stretched out its wings to stop itself from falling completely. Pikachu slid off its back.

The fearow opened its beak – and was hit by a water gun from behind them.

'Gary!' Rosie exclaimed.

Gary, in response, tossed a poke ball at the fearow.

'Hey – ' Cole began, but the fearow was swallowed by the red light and sealed. The poke ball collapsed and shook – once, twice – and then lay still. 'Not fair,' he tried again.

Gary shrugged, stepping around Ashley for the ball. 'First in best dressed,' he pointed out. 'And from the looks of things, I'd say Squirtle here is the best dress.'

'Squirt,' Squirtle agreed.

'What happened to you anyway?'

'What do you think?' Cole muttered.

But Gary was looking at Ashley – and her threaded clothes and cuts and peck marks. 'What does it look like?' she retorted. 'I had a run in with a flock of spearow and that fearow that you so graciously took off our hands. Though Pikachu did all the hard work.'

Gary rolled her eyes, but acquitted. It was true. Pikachu did do all the hard work, and now it lay collapsed on the burnt grass, unconscious.

'There's a Pokemon Centre around here, right? Where is it?' She looked around.

'That way,' Gary pointed. 'But it'll take you till morning to get there.'

Ashley looked at Pikachu. It flinched away from her touch, and she growled. 'Well, we need one,' she decided. 'I'm going.'

'Wait a – ' Rosie began, but Ashley had already run off, wincing a bit.

'Well,' Cole said. 'I'm not following her. He turned to Gary. 'What were you doing here anyway?'

'Trying to sleep,' Gary replied. 'We could hear that fearow from the road, you know.' He turned. 'Guess I'll head back. See ya.'

'Wait,' Rosie cried. 'We're coming with you.'

He turned around. 'No you're not.'

'But Bulba and Charmander can't battle,' Rosie protested. 'You're not seriously going to leave us out here alone, are you?'

'No-one's going to bother you after that pikachu's light show,' Gary rolled his eyes. 'But fine. Follow. If we're gone before you wake up though, don't blame us.'

He wondered, as they walked back to where his sister had parked the car, all of them whether they should have gone after Ashley too. If she got attacked again with her Pikachu unconscious, there'd be nothing to defend her too. But all he had was Squirtle, and it was only because of Pikachu's thunder shock that he had managed to knock the fearow out.

He didn't plan on getting hurt from chivalry. And there weren't any blood-thirsty pokemon between Pallet and Viridian anyway. They should smell the blood and leave her alone. And though she looked like she'd been through a mincer, she wasn't too badly hurt if she could walk more or less normally. And the worst they could run in to were more spearow. There was only ever one fearow in a field – the king, and they'd already knocked him off his throne.

He thought she was an idiot, but he also thought she'd make it. And maybe Rosie and Cole thought so too. Maybe that's why they let her go so easily. And maybe there was still an element of competition running underneath. She'd be fine, and they wouldn't, and that's why they couldn't help her.

Maybe, if any of them were as hard-headed as her, they'd have made it too. But then again, they probably wouldn't be stuck with a Pikachu who had an attitude problem and refused to obey commands to begin with.


	4. A Brief River Stint

**A/N:** This is an awfully long night. :D Thankfully, next chapter will take place in a morning.

* * *

**Trainer Girl  
Chapter 4 – A Brief River Stint**

Pikachu hadn't seemed very heavy on the outset, but that was before Ashley had to carry him across the field with her battered, sore and desperately needing sleep body. She was the sort of girl that conked out by midnight and then didn't wake up until at least ten in the morning, but that night, their first night away from Pallet Town, she'd been moving all night long. Looking for Pikachu, running from the fearow and spearow. Now walking dead ahead to the Pokemon Centre and hoping she hadn't taken any masked turns along the way because then she'd be screwed. They'd both be screwed.

At least there was the moon and a few stars. Enough to light the way of trees and obvious things blocking the road. Not twigs and fallen logs half-buried by grass and things or the occasional snoring pokemon. She'd tripped over a sandshrew and Pikachu had whined in pain as he'd flown out of her hands. Luckily, the sandshrew had swiped with his claws and gone back to sleep. And, also luckily, Ashley had been out of reach of those claws.

She'd half expected Pikachu to be hissing curses to her, but Pikachu had closed his eyes again. Though he made another noise of complaint when she poked him.

'Just checking you're alive,' she said, perhaps less lightly than she would have normally done. But though she'd gone through all the usual classes on pokemon health and pokemon first aid, she wasn't too sure how her stubborn little rodent was doing. Exhaustion was an obvious one. He wasn't sparking or feeling warm, so no fever. His fur was a little rough but she imagined hers would be too…if she had fur, after that little adventure. She'd be covered in scabs soon anyhow. Or as soon as she took those bandages off. Her guess was the both of them had been similarly roughed up – and maybe all that electricity made Pikachu a little more tired and sore since if she'd screamed her lungs out, she might've collapsed on the spot. But fearow had also attacked him directly, and Ho-oh knew what sort of trouble Pikachu had gotten into before she found him.

And how much trouble they were going to get in to on the way to the Pokemon Centre.

Because the wild field they were crossing really should have finished by now.

And Pikachu didn't have bandages (which made her consider taking some of the ones Rosie had used on her and wrapping them around Pikachu, but she couldn't actually see any bleeding cuts. So they might not help).

All that would was the Pokemon Centre's nurse…who hopefully knew more than she did.

**.**

Eventually, almost dragging her feet, she stumbled on to rocky terrain. Which made her wish she'd followed the road, because she kept on scraping herself. And it was pretty hard climbing with one hand holding Pikachu, but she managed it.

_Thank goodness for Rosie and her bandages_, she had to think to herself. It just hurt a bit instead of a lot – and she didn't doubt they would have hurt a lot if they hadn't been bandaged up that early. When she found some water, she'd be soaking them again. It was a fairly warm night, and she was working up a modest sweat.

And she tripped over something nestled between rocks.

'Oww,' she winced, clamouring to her feet. She'd managed to hang on to Pikachu this time, but that meant she'd fallen heavily on her arm. Something…metallic sounding clattered and she stared. That didn't sound like a rock or ground pokemon. In fact, it sounded like her mother's pots and pans.

And she really didn't have the energy to raise her head and check. Getting up again was going to be such a _chore_.

'Hey!' there was a scream, further down. 'Get down from there, you thief!'

'I'm not a thief!' Ashley yelled back – or tried to. Normally, she could match voices with the best of them, but she was _tired_. 'Where's the Pokemon Centre?'

The tip of a spiky ponytail appeared over the cover of rocks, followed by their owner. The girl looked to be a couple of years older and was dressed in a t-shirt and shorts with suspensors. A starmie was spinning in the air behind her.

She stared at Ashley, her eyes narrowing in on Pikachu. 'What are you doing to that pokemon?' she snapped, though her voice seemed softer.

'I'm taking him to the Pokemon Centre,' Ashley replied. She shifted into a sitting position. No need to lay there uncomfortably. 'He ran off and got attacked by a fearow and some spearow.'

'So all that shrieking in the fields was that.' The girl frowned, her face softening more. 'You should clean those scratches too. There's a river down here.'

'Pikachu needs a Pokemon Centre first,' Ashley replied.

The girl rolled her eyes. 'Ever hear of sepsis?' At the blank look, she sighed. 'I'm Misty. And this is Star.' She gestured at her Starmie.

'Ashley,' Ashley replied. 'And Pikachu. We haven't gotten close enough for a nickname yet, I think.' Which was an understatement, but no need to tell an absolute stranger that her starter wouldn't listen to a word she said.

'Well…' Misty looked around. 'You don't look like you can walk another hour.' Which might be a fair assessment, however Ashley wanted to rebuke it. 'The Centre's about two at an even pace. I have a bike, but…' Unlikely she would stay on for long enough either. 'Do you have any flying Pokemon?'

'Nothing but Pikachu.' And Ashley laughed because that was almost one hundred percent accurate. Her pokedex and trainer card were in her pockets and her poke-balls were on her belt but everything else had been in her bag. And where the hell that was now, she had no idea. Hopefully one of the others found it and brought it to Viridian. Or some complete stranger. She hadn't written any names or contact details, but she was fairly sure her mother had. Her mother tended to think ahead with those sorts of things.

'I only have water types myself.' She frowned. 'The river doesn't go all the way to Viridian City but it goes pretty close. Your Pikachu will probably be fine till morning, but if you walked half the night looking like that, then I'll pack up my fishing gear and take your Pikachu on my bike. Star can carry you across the river and herd off any wild Pokemon. From the river it's only a ten minute walk into the city, and the Pokemon Centre is dead ahead on the main road.'

She offered a hand, and Ashley tried to get up herself, failed, and took it. 'Thanks,' she said. It didn't occur to her that the girl would run off with Pikachu. Especially since she was leaving her starmie behind. 'I'll look after your starmie.'

'I doubt it,' the girl snorted. 'Star'll be looking after you.'

The pokemon made a noise of agreement.

'And don't bother ordering it to do anything funny. I've trained her well.' Misty gave another appraising look, then turned around. 'But you look like a novice and you obviously care about your pokemon so I'll help you out.' She leapt down, her voice floating up a moment later. 'Star, carry her down with Psychic.'

Ashley shrieked in surprise as the telekinetic power caught her and lifted her. It wouldn't been fun, normally. If she hadn't been staring at rocks. And if the trip hadn't been so short. And if she could move normally. She was probably going to be _very_ stiff in the morning. Whenever that was.

Misty noticed the look. 'Don't get used to it,' she said. 'Star's psychic powers aren't all that developed yet.'

**.**

Surfing on the water on Star was…interesting. The moons and stars reflected strangely on the water and there were lots of glittering eyes. _Didn't anyone in the river sleep?_ she wondered. Misty had looked wide awake, and she'd said something about gear. But Ashley couldn't see anyone else on the riverbanks, and the eyes didn't do anything but stare. Except for a particularly adventures magikarp, which was hit by what looked like Swift from Star's core jewel and downed.

Except the magikarp followed them. And bumped into a chinchou that let loose an electric attack. Which caused the magikarp to fail. And that should have taken them out of their field of vision because Star was a quick swimmer, except the magikarp chose that moment to evolve.

Star sped up and Ashley found herself clinging for dear life. There wasn't any time to look at scenery any more. But the gyarados was no slouch, and was familiar with the river in a way that Star wasn't. Obviously, this wasn't the river she – or he? Ashley couldn't really be sure – was born in. Or had spent a lot of time in.

Still, Star managed to get to shore before the gyarados and Ashley, who'd rested a little during the trip (or, rather, her hands and legs hadn't been moving and had hopefully recovered some energy) climbed stiffly to her feet.

She retracted her earlier statement in that she'd be stiff in the morning. She was already stiff, and it wasn't quite morning.

Also, whoever said the path between Pallet Town and Viridian City was supposed to be filled with relatively tame pokemon needed to get their degree checked. Fearow and Gyarados were some of Kanto's most vicious species and she'd seen both of them in one night. And she was sure she couldn't have gotten so hopelessly lost that she'd wound up on the other side of Viridian.

And she was sure she hadn't done that badly in theory to mess up that sort of information. Particularly with how fierce that fearow had been. And how this gyarados was growling now.

_But surely gyarados won't come out of the water?_

Except she was proven wrong when the gyarados hovered, much like Star.

Star got in front of Ashley and let loose another Swift. The gyarados swiped its tail to knock them away and let loose a torrent of water. Star knocked Ashley flat to avoid it, then retaliated with a thinner and denser spray of water that hit the massive water snake in the eyes.

Gyarados screamed and Ashley winced at the sound. That was the stuff of nightmares…even though she didn't really have those very often. _Horror movies, then_.

Star tried another Swift. It was obviously not working, but… Ashley counted them off. It was hard to differentiate water attacks, but if she had to guess, it was Hydro Pump for the gyarados and Water Gun for Star. And then there was Swift and Psychic. Which left one more attack Star might know.

But Star was cycling between Water Gun and Swift and gyarados was flicking swift away with his tail and thrashing (Flail, maybe) and blasting Hydro Pumps. But Ashley was pretty sure newly evolved gyarados didn't know _too_ many attacks. In fact, she was almost a hundred percent sure because Gary'd always call her a magikarp and her mother would always say he meant she'd evolve into a gyarados.

Might know Tackle or Bite or something like that though.

But Ashley wasn't Star's trainer and Star was doing perfectly fine on her – or his – own. Sort of. She – or he – was matching the gyarados move for move at least. And the gyarados was being forced down the riverbank.

Until it lunged forward, jaws snapping, and Star put up a protective barrier. Protect.

Misty was a smart trainer to teach her pokemon that variety of moves.

But Protect wasn't perfect. It would fail. And then they'd both be crushed.

And she was _not_ going back to Pallet Town in a body-bag.

She hit her head with her palm, though both of those things were stiff and sore and caked in dirt. _Come on, think_!

_It is a pretty big mouth_, her brain supplies, moments later.

_Not helping,_ she returns – before doing a double-take when she realises it might help after all.

She hurt when something scratched her throat after all.

'Can you fill him up with Water Gun and Swift?' she asked Star.

Star caught on to the idea and let a little hole form in the barrier, through which she sent her attacks. Or, rather, Ashley hoped Star was a girl. Because a male would be insulted at being called a girl.

Gyarados, with his jaws clamped around the barrier, could only make a whining noise as his throat was bombarded. Finally, he drew back and twitched in the air and Starmie picked up a rock and brought it down on the water-snake's head.

Ashley opened her mouth to shout (because that was totally overkill), then stared as the gyarados' tail flicked and the rock was blasted into bits by a Hydo Pump. But the gyarados wasn't moving much now, and Star was moving in the direction of the city in the distance and making a noise that was clearly "hurry up".

But now that the battle was over, Ashley felt a little sorry for that gyarados lying there. And how it'd just been a magikarp before. Maybe wanting to have a fun ride as well. And now it was all battered and if a third feral beast popped up from somewhere, gyarados would be done in. Might be done in anyway with a rock smashed on his head. She was never training her pokemon to do that. _Ever_. Pokemon were living creatures too. And she couldn't ask one to be a partner and kill another. Or leave them to die.

Otherwise she wouldn't have left Pikachu because that would have saved her a _lot_ of trouble.

_All the things I do,_ she thought wryly.

Though no way she could carry a giant snake to the Pokemon Centre. Unless…

She could have hit herself again, but decided against. She just threw a poke-ball which swallowed the twisted body and blinked red.

Once it stopped blinking, she picked it up, wincing at the movements. Star was waiting a few paces away with an odd expression – or what Ashley thought was an odd expression. It was hard to tell without an actual face to _make_ expressions.

The ten minute walk would have taken at least half an hour if Star hadn't knocked Ashley's stiff yet shaky feet out from under her and carried her (and gyarados, nice and safe in its poke-ball) to the Pokemon Centre.


	5. At the Pokemon Centre

**Trainer Girl  
Chapter 5 – At the Pokemon Centre**

Ashley woke up to her legs aching far worse than when she and Gary would climb the hills just outside Pallet Town and then run away from the sandshrew they aggravated. And it was no wonder. Exhaustion hadn't succeeded in wiping the memories of the previous night out of her mind.

_And that was one hell of a trip_, she groaned to herself. No wonder the League had so much paperwork and tests to get through. Though she hadn't gotten that poor a mark in pokemon location – not so poor that she didn't know gyarados weren't supposed to be in small rivers like the one leading to Viridian City. Last night was enough of a testament of that –

She suddenly remembered the Poke-ball and tried to sit up, wincing as she did. The poke-ball was nowhere to be found, and neither was Pikachu. But Misty had taken Pikachu in her bike. Star was there though, watching the door. She made some sort of noise seeing her stand off and then pushed the door open and left. Ashley blinked, then looked around some more. She was in the bottom bed of a two-bed bunk and her cuts and scrapes had all been cleaned and bandaged – or bandaged at least. She assumed they'd been cleaned as well. There was a nice fragrance in the room, and her bag, as well as a red duffel. She supposed the red duffel belonged to whoever was using the upper bunk- if anyone was. And she assumed someone had found her backpack and dropped it off. Thank goodness the pokedex counted as an ID, otherwise it mightn't have been that simple.

She felt in her pocket with a slight wince – then blinked at the unfamiliar material. Then she looked more at herself. She was wearing a light pink night gown that said "PC" on it. How had she missed that?

She'd rather have the pyjamas her mother had packed for her. Even if they did look like a jigglypuff cosplay. She had spotted those, looking for other things. They were just as outrageous as charizard wings – though maybe it was just her mother's way of telling her to get good night sleeps. But did it have to be pink?

Not that she had much of a choice between pink and pink. She could see her regular clothes on the vanity. She'd definitely need a needle and thread – or a new pair while she sent the old ones back to her mum to be repaired.

She could walk around in jigglypuff cosplay pyjamas until she could buy new clothes (and thank goodness her back was there, and hopefully nothing was missing from it). Just not in a nightgown.

Before she could try to stand and change though, the door opened again, and Ashley stared at the red-haired girl standing there.

'You're…Misty?' she asked uncertainly. It had been pretty dark last night after all. Then she sat up straighter. 'How's Pikachu? And the gyarados?'

'That's right.' She sounded less friendly than the previous night – or at least, Ashley assumed it was the previous night. Hopefully she hadn't slept the day through – or days. 'And your Pikachu's in the recovery room.' Ashley sighed in relief. Misty's lip curled. 'And what the hell were you thinking, capturing a gyarados? An amateur like you?'

'Your starmie was going to kill it,' Ashley snapped back. Misty hadn't answered the second half of the question. 'How could I just leave it there?'

'Gyarados are savages,' Misty retorted. 'You should know that. All the stories of ships capsizing in storms. Sailors never being found. It's them. Gyarados. They're even on alert with the League –'

'The League has been notified.'

Misty turned around and came into the room, letting the woman in a nurse's outfit in as well. 'I'm Nurse Joy,' she introduced to Ashley. 'I run this Pokemon Centre.'

And that told her a hell of a lot more than Misty had. 'Hi,' Ashley said. 'I'm Ashley Ketchum. How are my Pokemon?'

'Pikachu came in last night. We did a minor surgery to realign the sternum where we assume the fearow's beak struck, but it all went well and he's in the recovery room now.' There was a pokemon coming out from behind her: a chansey. She had a nurse's cap as well, and some bandages and a little bottle. Disinfectant probably. Ashley inched up the bed as the chansey approached.

'I don't really need that, do I?' she asked.

'Chan-sey,' the chansey replied, carefully unwinding the bandage around her right ankle.

Ashley assumed that meant a 'yes, you do need that.' She groaned. Disinfectant stung.

Then again, fresh air on open wounds stung too.

'We did a preliminary scan on the gyarados whilst still in its poke-ball,' Nurse Joy continued, as Chansey readdressed the wounds. 'I'm afraid we're not equipped to let an untrained gyarados out here and your pokedex said you received your first pokemon yesterday?'

Ashley nodded. And that also confirmed the fact that she hadn't been sleeping her journey away as well. Another relief box ticked.

'Gyarados are also, as your friend said, on alert so any gyarados found in places they shouldn't be or captured by a trainer need to be told to the league. Because you've captured this gyarados, it'll be up to the league whether you keep it, with caveats I imagine, or whether it'll be taken off your hands.'

Ashley felt her eyes sting, and she wondered if that was the disinfectant chansey was using or the idea of losing the first pokemon she'd caught – even if she hadn't been intending to catch it. 'What's the gender?' she asked. Her voice was steady at least, if a little lower than normal.

Nurse Joy flicked through a file. 'Female,' she replied. 'And known attacks are Bite, Flail, Tackle and Hydro Pump.'

'You're lucky Star has experience in fighting gyarados,' Misty muttered.

Ashley looked at her. If she didn't know better – which she didn't – she'd have thought Misty had something personal against the gyarados. 'Do you have one?'

'No,' she snapped, turning away – before whipping around again. 'You're not seriously considering keeping it –'

'Her,' Ashley corrected automatically.

Misty groaned and turned away.

'If you appeal to the League, they'll be more inclined to allow you to keep her,' Nurse Joy offered. 'Your behaviour last night could go either way: you did take the responsible route in bringing pikachu to a Pokemon Centre as soon as possible – even giving him to someone else so he could make it here safely – and you can't be expected to have control over your pikachu after just one afternoon, but walking all the way here in the dark and getting so scratched up?' She cast a reproving glare of him and Ashley looked at her knees and Chansey dabbing away.

'I was worried,' she said defensively.

Nurse Joy smiled. 'Some trainers find that irresponsible. Others consider that commitment. But even then, you're a beginning trainer and you'll need enough experience to prove you can handle a gyarados before they'll allow it on your team. That means training your pokemon, catching new ones, and winning battles. After healing up.' She added the last bit because Ashley had sprouted a calculating look.

It didn't go away. There was no harm in planning ahead. 'I know there's a gym in Viridian City.'

'It's the toughest gym in the Kanto circuit,' Misty interrupted. She sounded a little defeated. 'Pewter Gym is the next closest, and it's better for beginners. It's a rock type Gym.'

Nurse Joy nodded. 'Water, ground, grass, steel and fighting are the most effective types. The last two are pretty rare in these parts but you might be able to find a good water type in the rivers leading up to Viridian City or a grass type in the Viridian Forest.'

'More bug types than grass types,' Misty corrected. 'You can find ground types the way you came as well.'

Ashley nodded. She remembered the sandshrew. And the hills to the other side of pallet town had always been filled with sandshrew.

'Pikachu aren't good matches for ground types though. Or rock types. Looks like –' She topped when chansey moved away.

'All done,' Nurse Joy said brightly. 'Take it slow for a couple of days. Rooms at the Pokemon Centre are free, as is food and treatment of any pokemon. Since you're a human, you'll have to pay for the bandages and disinfectant, but otherwise you're set to remain here as long as you like – and you'll have to wait for the League representative anyhow.'

'Some guy with brown hair and an attitude brought your bag this morning.' Misty glared at Ashley's backpack.

Ashley snorted. 'That sounds like Gary. Did he have Cole and Rosie with him still?'

'Just a girl doing the driving.'

'Nope, that's not Rosie.' Gary must have gone off on his own again.

Nurse Joy smiled again. 'I'll leave you two alone. The League has sent someone. They'll be here tomorrow at 2pm, so be sure to be at the front reception then, Ashley.'

Ashley nodded. Nurse Joy gave a little wave and slipped out the door with Chansey. Misty sat on the desk. 'Any chances of talking you out of keeping the gyarados?'

'She's the first pokemon I caught,' Ashley explained. 'Never mind it wasn't with my own pokemon or I hadn't thought it through. I have her now…and I don't really want to give her up.'

'Thought as much.' Misty sighed. 'And judging from yesterday, you're the stubborn sort.'

Ashley laughed. 'I wouldn't have left home if I wasn't.'

Misty half-grinned. 'Neither would I.' Before Ashley could ask, she pressed on. 'Guess I'll tag along for a bit then.'

'Why?' Ashley asked.

'Can't let you get gobbled up by your gyarados in good conscience.' She shrugged. 'And you look like a cool girl to tag along with. You're not letting me tell you what to do anyhow.'

'And that's a good thing?' It didn't make sense in Ashley's head.

Misty nodded though. 'Sure we'll probably argue every afternoon, but that's way better than subserviently following someone. Just because everyone says "do this"…'

Ashley did understand that. Rosie had only gone through with the testing procedures because Ashley was taking it and Rosie wouldn't have wound up being the only girl, but Ashley had gone through on her own decision. Sure her mother had supported her, but she certainly hadn't encouraged. And Gary hadn't seemed particularly fond of the idea. Maybe he didn't want a rival. Or maybe he was just worried. Ashley didn't know – and until she saw him next and had a decent conversation with him, she didn't really care.

Cole just didn't think she was ladylike enough, which infuriated her to no end. How Rosie put up with him, she had no idea.

Actually, she did. Rosie was a follower.

Ashley was not.

And she thought it did sound like an interesting idea. 'I guess I'm going to Pewter then,' she said. 'After convincing Pikachu that I'm not the worst girl in the world and not to run off like that again –'

'I don't think you have to.' Misty was smiling now.

'Why?'

'Pikachu was pining, last I saw.' She had a full-fledged grin on her face. 'Guess your hard-headed actions got through on their own.'

Ashley jumped up, then groaned and held on to the steps for support. 'Why didn't you mention that sooner?' she asked. 'I thought he was still unconscious.'

'Because I was sure you'd jump up like that the moment I did,' Misty replied, standing up. 'Come on, lean on me.'

'I can walk.' And she could, after she took a deep breath and moved, slowly, holding on to things for support. The wall mostly. That tended to stretch where nothing else did.

Misty shrugged and lead the way. 'I'm not carrying you if you collapse. And Star's help was a one-off thing.'

'Noted,' said Ashley with gritted teeth. She was capable of walking to her pokemon's bedside on her own, thank you very much.


End file.
